Burnie, I agree with you on the clarity. I used to purchase optics for my company. The price goes up exponentially with clarity and quality. But doesn't everything.

I mean you can get a 3.5MOA gun for 200 dollars fairly easy. If you want a 1.5MOA gun, you usually have to double your price to 400 dollars. If you want a .5MOA gun, you have to double that price and maybe then some past 800 dollars. But in this examples, there are exceptions to the rule, as there are with scopes. I notice the quality inspection and testing of cheaper lens is of course very sparce, but several good lenses get thru. Human interaction and testing is expensive and probably the most expensive thing.

Now that 95% transparity of a top of the line leupold has to go thru many more steps, and I can tell you, that it does cost. The problem lies where most of our eyes can't detect this from a 85% lens. But some can.

Also, its like craftsman. Do you really believe thier tools have that much more quality than a husky. Sure, a little, but you pay dearly for that lifetime, no questions warranty. And like mechanics with tools, us shooters do usually take advantage of that warranty sooner or later. I know I have with Leupold when a scope fogged up.

Bottom line, what your buying is confidense. When my groups are big with big boomers like your magnum, I just don't ever blame my scope. I blame my runout, I blame the brass, I blame me. So what I bought is confidense.